Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday that Beijing should strive to protect farmers' rights to boost 'agricultural modernisation' as the country faced the twin pressures of rising inflation and an economic slowdown. He said rural progress was equally important to urbanisation and industrialisation, given the mainland's large rural population. 'Any slight failure in agriculture will hamper the country's economic development and social stability,' Xinhua quoted Wen as saying. He was speaking at the annual central conference on rural work in Beijing. The premier said more should be done to protect farmers' rights to land contracts, social security and collective income distribution, among others. 'No one can deprive [farmers] of such rights,' Wen said. But the premier warned that rapid urbanisation would not likely spur development in rural areas at the same pace, adding that urban construction designs should not be forced upon the countryside. Staff Reporter

Student's death brings Yunnan van crash toll to 7

The death toll in a school van crash that killed four students in Yunnan province climbed to seven on Monday, state media reported. Another student who was injured in the accident died in hospital, according to Xinhua. Six people, including two adults, were killed in the crash on Saturday - the second school vehicle accident in the province last week. The eight-seat van was crammed with the adults and 12 students, who were on their way home, when it plunged from a mountainous road into a 59-metre-deep ravine. The survivors, all injured, were taken to hospital, with two students in critical condition. A local news portal in Yunnan showed a picture of the van with its roof and sides crumpled. A local government official confirmed that the accident had occurred but declined to give details. Raymond Li